Mirepoix
A mirepoix is the base of delectable stews, soups, and sauces. It's the rich flavor foundation of aromatics, herbs, or spices slowly cooked in a bit of oil or fat. While every culture has its own version, the most common is this French variant called Mirepoix! This vegan recipe uses 4 simple ingredients and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare.
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 166kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk of celery
- 2 Tablespoons of oil (I use sunflower or olive oil)
Instructions
- Dice the vegetables.
- Add to skillet and sauté in oil on medium heat until the onion is translucent.
- Add to your soup, entree, etc.
Notes
- Do not overcook the veggies! The goal is to sweat them, not brown them. Do not use more than medium heat and stir the vegetable mirepoix constantly.
- Be mindful of the ratio. I used equal parts of the three ingredients, but the standard French mirepoix technique is 2:1:1: 2 onions, 1 celery, and 1 carrot. It would always depend on your preference or the recipe you are making.
- As the carrots simmer, they get sweeter. If you're using an extra-large carrot, you might want to use only one or half to avoid overpowering your dish with its flavor.
- Use a big enough pan. When making a bigger batch of mirepoix, the pot should be wide with relatively high edges, so the vegetables are easy to stir, eliminating the risk of burning the Mirepoix.
- Add the vegetables in the correct order. Diced carrots should come first as they are the toughest of the veggies, followed by onion, and lastly, the celery.
- Consider adding tomato. An alternative is adding tomato paste or puree to amp your Mirepoix, especially for brown sauces or gravies. This is called pinçage.
Nutrition
Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 208mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5099IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
